Transcending Fate
by BulletinWords
Summary: The untold story of Lux's love affair with Ashoka, and his hope to see her again on Onderon, starting at the end of Star Wars the Clone Wars Season 4 Episode 14.
1. Chapter 1

_**Transcending Fate**_

 **Author:** BulletinWords

 **Summary:** Starts at the end of Star Wars the Clone Wars Season 4 Episode 14, and follows Lux as he creates his revolution to hopefully bring Ahsoka to Onderon.

 **Please note:** These characters, planets, and some situations are not mine.

 _ **Chapter 1**_

Their hands met on opposite sides of the glass, fingers aligned as if to grasp their counterpart. Lux watched as Ahsoka's pupils swelled inside her irises, feeling his do the same. Her fingernails peaked out just above her skin while his remained encased in his glove. Dirt fell freely off their soiled faces, and for an ephemeral moment the glass dissolved and their hands met, etching their promise into the depths of their hearts – the war failing to reach the ship as this platonic future fell apart; the glass reformed and transferred them back into their distorted reality. The words from their conversation slowly wilted into the corners of his mind as the escape pod detached from the ship as if the Republic was pulling Ahsoka to safety while the Separatists were capturing their prisoner, leaving the galaxy to spin ceaselessly as if the war was nonexistent and doves still flew through the streets of Coruscant. The reddish-brown crafts floated aimlessly through space for a few minutes while Lux and Ahsoka gazed into the endless universe surrounding them. Ahsoka's ship jumped to hyperspace, slipping out of the void and into Republic space once again while Lux continued to watch the stars – a vast ocean filled with planets, some of which now lay in ruins while others played with them like chess pieces in a game where all the pawns are lost and only the strong pieces remain, making rooks and bishops into starships while the queen moved her fleets across the board. He was an enemy to the Republic and a traitor to the Separatists, leaving him as one of the sixty-four black and white squares on a cracking chessboard which both sides trample over and refuse to mend after a thousand stalemates.

He made the jump to hyperspace and felt as the galaxy transcended into a bluish-white haze, molding itself around his ship. Knowing he had plenty of time before he arrived, he let his mind romp through the infinite possibilities of how his conversation with Ahsoka could have been better. He regretted kissing her the way he did, but he did not regret the kiss itself. Her lips, unblemished in their innocent existence, poured into his, locking his heart to her, and afterwards her cheeks exploded into an irresistible blush as he felt his do the same. He may not understand what love is, but that does not stop him from wondering if they could have it. She was his last friend; the only person who would trust him with their life, and he left her, leaving him powerless in a power-driven galaxy.

Though he could continue to imagine their future forever, his reason for leaving her was drawing ever closer – Onderon: his home world and vessel to strike back at Dooku. First, he took his passport and changed the information and picture to not draw Dooku's attention; he would need that later, but now Dooku could kill his rebellion before its conception. As Onderon grew closer he began planning to overthrow the Separatist puppet controlling the throne, knowing the mindless droids would be invincible without public support. He would also need help from the Republic and the Jedi Council at some point, but first he had to prove his rebellion could hold itself together. Finding people to fight would also pose a challenge as he has not visited the planet in over five years. For now, however, he existed in a timeless passage, watching stars and planets slipped past him as his destination unknowingly waited for his ship's arrival.

The galaxy rushed back into existence, leaving its blue robes to wilt into the stars. Onderon rose into the cockpit window, and Lux used the stolen Separatist codes to sneak past the blockade – ten cruisers and one command ship all stationary as if waiting an invasion from the Republic yet remaining completely oblivious to the rebel slipping past its walls. Each ship housed identical cities – lifeless and dominated by hallways and elevators, leaving civilization behind on the construction docks. As he descended closer to the planet, he watched the storm clouds roll across the jungles – lighting exploding out of the clouds as if to penetrate the heart of the jungle – and moved towards the Iziz spaceport on the other side of Onderon. His ship winnowed through the white cotton-ball clouds floating in the pure-blue sky and landed inside the spaceport in Iziz. Despite being trapped in an enemy spaceport, he knew how to disguise himself well enough with the items in the escape pod to get past the customs droids. He took a pure-black cloak out of the wardrobe on the wall opposite to the pilot's seat and used the hood to conceal his face, taking the falsified passport he made during his hyperspace trip on his way out of the ship. Once he was past the customs droids he exited the spaceport and entered the market plaza – a kaleidoscopic mixture of aromas sifting off the fruits and vegetables lining the street and into the breezy air. He had heard of a local revolutionary who has been waging war against the Separatist occupation since the beginning. His mother tried to reason the small group of revolutionaries a few years ago, but the talks collapsed after an explosion almost killed the puppet king. Knowing the cantina would be an ideal place to start, Lux walked across the city and began his search.

The cantina – a fantastic collage of people milling around bar tables and dance floors – was the oasis in the ruined part of the city. People from across Iziz gathered for drinks and dances while the strobe lights exploded across the floor. Time became nonexistent while the bar served its infinite amount of liquor bottles to dancers, reflecting the patrons in a distorted mirror. Lux sifted through the crowds until he located Saw Gerrera in the corner farthest from the door. There were three other people seated at his table – his sister and two commanders. Unknown to Lux, Saw had amassed a large following and was already conducting small scale attacks on the Separatists. Gerrera then took Lux upstairs into the building above the cantina to begin planning a base in the jungle to train and house their small army. They opted for guerilla warfare tactics until they had the support of Republic and the Jedi Council. Their base will consist of three barracks, each of which house thirty soldiers, a command center, and two landing pads. According to Saw, the materials to build the base would be difficult to acquire, but he thinks he should be able to cash in some favors with a few of his contacts.

After Lux was done planning with Gerrera, he left the war room and went to his bunk, not knowing or caring about what time it was. The music from the club continued to vibrate beneath him as he laid his head on the flat pillow while his body shifted to fit in the cold metal bed, letting the world dissolve around him – reality sparing with his imagination until his eyelids lost their daily battle and closed, freeing him from the galaxy - as he sat on the railing adjacent to the staircase, he heard someone walking down the stairs and into the lush gardens below. He rotated his head and saw a girl - confident and at peace with herself while her stride remained unbreakable in its perfect existent. He noticed a metal tube hanging at her side, delicately sweeping the top of her leg, and wondered if she was a Jedi.

Are you a Jedi?

Yes. Why do you ask?

Before the war I was told Jedi defenders of peace and freedom.

And now?

He paused before responding. She looked like an angel with the light caressing her figure while brilliant white clouds floated freely above her. If the galaxy was not at war with itself, he would ask her out. However, the galaxy is engrossed in this war, and she was the enemy.

I don't know anymore. There's a lot of war and killing, and my friends are saying the Jedi are to blame.

I'm the first Jedi you've ever met, right?

Yes.

Look at me; I'm not so bad, am I?

She looked beautiful, and even though she was the enemy he could not help but notice how her eyes radiated an everlasting love for tomorrow as if she was the incarnation hope.

No, not bad at all.

Uhhh, well it seems boys are the same regardless of whether they are Republic or Separatist.

His heartbeat accelerated into a slightly faster velocity as she rendered him speechless, and yet there were so many questions he had for her. He let the silence dominate the breezy air for a more few breaths and then continued:

Wait. How many Separatists have you met?

What?

You think we're all the bad guys, right? But, how many of us have you met, and droids don't count.

She paused for a second, absorbing his question while letting each word of her response dissolve into a sentence before responding. He silently laughed as an infinitesimal crease formed in her forehead, breaking her stride and gaze while she thought.

Well other than military officers like Grievous and Ventriss none. You and your mother are the first.

Well, look at me; am I so bad?

She paused again as his heart accelerated into an indescribable velocity. She studied him, and he could not stop a small blush from appearing on his cheeks.

No, not bad at all.

They laughed softly as the breeze moved them to sit under the white pergola in the center of the gardens. The sunlight bounced around between the honeycomb patterns while they sat in silence, absorbing a tranquility they both had not felt since the start of the war. She leaned in slightly as if she was cold, so he placed his palm on her right shoulder and let his arm touch her smooth, silky, sinless back. She turned her head and stared up at him, blushing. His lips moved towards hers, and as they closed together he felt

LUX GET UP NOW! WE HAVE A SUPPLY RUN TO MAKE IN TEN MINUTES!


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2_**

Lux slipped back into reality and rose from his bed. Saw rolled his eyes and left his room, mumbling about senators and their children being spoiled. His clothes laid etherized next to his bed as the morning sun drifted past the cracked blinds, sinking through the dust rising and falling in the room. The cantina had stopped vibrating, but a dull click of glasses brushing against each other rose up the stairs as if to compensate for the lack of vivacity. He yawned, moving his arms above his head and slightly to either side as if to clear the air around him. He then put his clothes on and met Saw in the war room where a woman with spiked hair and tattoos littered across her body flickered on the holo-communicator. Her eyes sliced apart the light sweater Lux wore and pierced through Saw's armor as if they were made of an incomprehensible resistance. She spoke:

Fine whatever just don't forget anything alright. Just to clarify though, in two hours we're getting together right?

Oh course, I'll bring some credits to pay you back for lunch.

Thanks. That reminds me, do you want ranch or blue cheese dressing with the salad.

Ranch.

Okay it'll be ready then. I just have to go to the store, and then I'll have everything.

Her image dissolved into the air around them as Lux tried to process the extent of their lunch, wondering why Saw would devote an entire day to having lunch with one girl. He asked Saw:

Your idea of supplies is lunch with her?

No, you idiot. The Separatists listen in on all communications in the city. You can count on there not being any salad or dressing, so eat up because we have a long day.

Still confused as to what was happening, Lux walked down to the cantina to make breakfast, trying to avoid smelling the incessant aroma of alcohol floating through the air. He opened the refrigerator to find a quarter carton of milk and an egg, laughing as he tried to imagine how to 'eat up' with nothing to eat. Despite this, he fried the egg, watching as the yoke bubbled beneath its white cover before hardening, and drank what was left of the milk. Shortly after he finished, Saw came running down the stairs, whispering to himself about construction and training camps before grabbing the back of Lux's sweater and pulling him out into the street.

The naked sunlight blinded them both for a few seconds while the phosphenes started dancing through the street after Lux rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. They had to walk on opposite sides of the road and leave at least ten feet between them to not draw attention to themselves. Even though Lux was a wanted criminal, Saw assured him the droids would be too occupied monitoring everyone else that they would not even notice him, so he slipped through the blockade once more as if to challenge the Separatists by thwarting their walls in space and on the surface. Saw never mentioned who the girl was on the holo-communicator, but Lux assumed she lived in the neighborhood they were just in. They ended up in the wealthiest neighborhood in Iziz, just outside the palace walls. She did not answer the door though; her droids answered and let them in as if to flaunt her unbounded wealth despite opposing the capital.

They entered into an endless foyer with a crystalline chandelier resting at the top; windows ran up the walls and transformed into skylights while adjacent hallways and rooms rushed into existence. The woman from the holo-communicator walked down the glass, spiral staircase at the end of the foyer and led them down one of the hallways. They then entered a room a few doors down which looked like a 1950s diner - checkerboard walls, pure-black leather booths, and red neon lights acting as crown molding. She walked over to a gumball machine in the far-left corner and moved it out. Beneath the machine there was a metal hatch with a padlock which she had to type four digits into to open. She then motioned for them to follow her downstairs and talked about how her droids would move the machine back into place if any Separatists came to the house to hide them while it was searched. The basement was far less luxurious than the main levels, but despite this, it still functioned as a practical hideout - pipes racing across the ceiling while radiant, white lightbulbs hanging by electrical threads dangled above. Saw began the conversation:

Abigail, this is Lux Bonteri, son of Mina Bonteri.

Oh right. She was the senator who was supposedly murdered by the Republic but actually assassinated by Dooku right?

Yeah that's her. Anyways do you have what we came here for?

Yes and no. I have the metal and other raw materials but they are not sitting right here.

Saw and Abigail continued their negotiations which grew increasingly boring once they began to discuss price, leaving Lux to let his mind roam throughout his consciousness: a cloud covered the pergola as Mina Bonteri called them in for dinner. They ascended the staircase, and Lux felt his heartbeat intensify as Ahsoka's fingers graced the edges of his, hoping they collided into his hand by more than a colossal accident. He opened the door, crystalline glass embroidered with silver, for her and entered to find Padme and Mina both seated at opposite sides of the dinner table, forcing him to sit opposite of Ahsoka during the meal - steam from the steak winnowing across the room, salad dancing around the plate, and potatoes wilting into the cross-sections. He watched as the light streaked across his chrome fork while he twisted it into the salad as if to mimic the chandelier above with its infinite amount of infinitesimal crystals reflecting the setting sun. Ahsoka's laugh harmonized with the ceaseless murmur of the wind gilding through the city, and despite Padme and Mina being at dinner, it was as if they were the only two people talking at a pure, innocent, blissful meal. Afterwards, they both went back out to the gardens, and he watched as her pupils swelled behind the thin lens covering her eyes. They walked to sit under the pergola once more, but just before they sat down he took both her hands and looked up towards the cloudless night sky, saying:

Isn't it breath taking.

What do you mean?

The stars. It's as if there's an infinite amount of them and yet I've only ever seen two as a sun. What's it like, to fell the warmth of so many different stars?

I guess I didn't think about it too much. Each planet is so interesting that I forget the stars change when I move between systems.

Can you do something for me, when you go back to fighting in the war I mean?

Sure, what is it?

Remember what the different stars feel like, and if we meet again tell me what it's like to feel their entirely unique, unbounded, undiluted warmth.

He looked down to find her staring into his eyes, and the universe slowly dissolved around them while the stars woven into the night sky laid etherized above them, shimmering across a black sea of nothingness. He blushed, slightly, and watched as her cheeks burned an irresistible pink as if to reveal an absolute truth which

LUX! HELLO! IS ANYTHING HAPPENING IN THAT BRAIN OF YOURS?

What, uh, sorry I spaced out.

Well we have work to do let's go. Honestly, I can't believe you sometimes. You want to fight the Separatists, but you can't even pay attention for ten minutes.

They walked back to the cantina which once again was filled with a fantastic collage of people from across the city, music bouncing across the room as if to dance for itself. Drinks continued flowing in and out of people's hands while the occasional glass slipped into the oblivion below. Saw was already being more careful as somehow when they were gone he had the door to their hideout moved from the cantina to behind an oven in the kitchen. While the oven lost its primary function, it served as enough of a protection that mindless battle droids searching the cantina would not suspect anything. Also, during the missing hours when Lux was daydreaming, Saw managed to secure a deal with Abigail - her and her construction droids will sneak into the forest and construct a base in exchange for making her a leader in their revolution. Though Lux was intimidated by Abigail and barely knew her, he knew she was necessary in order to continue with their plan. After their meeting which involved a lot of Saw checking to make sure Lux was still paying attention, Lux returned to his room and changed into his pajamas: a black, long-sleeve shirt with grayish-black pants. The cantina continued its usual vibrations, and Lux was once again entirely unaware of time, letting it wrap around him like a blanket while the stars continued shimmering in the darkness as if to send a message into the timeless void.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Dust rises and falls between the cracked blinds as Lux rests in his bed. Metal slowly slips past Iziz's walls and into the jungle while Saw continues recruiting new members. Lux takes time to explore the occupied city and search for places where Saw might find sympathizers to their cause. Abigail moves out of her house, citing a hunting trip as her excuse, and works full-time in the jungle. The schedule changes daily, and they are neither ahead nor behind, although Abigail's incessant updates would suggest otherwise. The metal molds itself into rooms while concrete washes over the ground only the cease moving a few hours later. Lux strolls between plazas and parks as if to enjoy his last moments in a suppressed city. After a few days, all Lux could see was the ceaseless stream of light pouring into the trees as if to illuminate the boundary between civilization and the undocumented history of a boundless jungle. The base is mostly complete with just the materials of another barracks waiting to be built. Saw as always exerts his authority over the troops with an excessive amount of yelling, but it seems to be working. The troops transcend from civilians into soldiers over ten days. Pushups and sprinting dominates the week Lux is there, but Lux is the only person mentally strong enough to defy Saw. Definitely not physically, but he is able to get around Saw's objections by stating he has work to do on their presentation, giving him ample time to rehearse his speech to the Jedi Council in two days - forty-eight hours and then he'll see Ahsoka, unblemished in her perfect existence for the first time in months. The hours slip by, accelerating at random only to stop minutes later, and finally the time is now.

Lux walks into the war room, his heart accelerating as his fingers grace the top of the call button on the gray holo-transmitter. Saw's face pales slightly as if for the first time he is not in control of himself or the situation. They organize their statistics and rehearse the presentation twice before pressing call. A bluish-clear haze simmers over the circular table for a minute before morphing itself into the Jedi Council's chamber. Ahsoka and Anakin both stand in front while the rest of the council remains seated. Lux glances shyly into Ahsoka's eyes, instantly forgetting everything only to remember it as Saw called his name. The negotiations last for an hour, and despite the council's inability to send Republic troops, they are able to send Ahsoka, Anakin, Obiwan, and Rex to help train their forces. The call ends shortly after that and as the mist dissolves back into the air surrounding it, Lux watches the bluish-white particles that made up Ahsoka sink into the table - a pure-smile forming on his face. Ahsoka would be on Onderon tomorrow, and for the first time in two months he could talk to her, only her, again.

Lux goes back to his room and stares at the night-sky - stars floating through a pure-black ocean. Tomorrow the planet would again be changed, but now they would be together. Sleep's illustrious pull tears Lux from reality and into his subconscious:

He had a simple plan:

1 - charge into a diplomatic meeting and get thrown out

2 - have Dooku yell at him over a holo-transmitter so he can trace his location

3 - somehow escape

4 - sell the information to Death Watch so they can avenge his mother

However, when he burst through the crystalline doors of the Mandalorian Palace he saw Ahsoka, standing idly behind Senator Amidala, and froze for an evanescent second. He continued on, yelling "Dooku murdered my mother and you're brokering peace talks with him", while watching Ahsoka through his peripheral vision; her shocked reaction turned into a knife in his heart, but he had to continue for his mom. Within seconds four droids burst through the doors and dragged him into the foyer, holding him below a silver and glass chandelier until the handcuffs were on his bony wrists, and out to a control ship waiting in a hanger. The handcuffs tightened themselves around his wrists as he was thrown in front of Dooku. The holo-transmitter flickered into existence, revealing Dooku's insidious eyes. He laughed at Lux, telling the droids to kill him. That was all Lux needed, now for part three: somehow escape. As if sensing his distress, Ahsoka smashed through the doors, slicing the droids into their components. She grabbed his wrist with her soft, smooth, silky skin and pulled him out to her ship. She told a bluish-white astromech, R2D2, to set the coordinates to Coruscant.

Ahsoka, you know I can't go there

Lux they'll take you as a refugee, and I'll make sure they protect you. You can't go back there. Besides why did you do that? Dooku will send droids out to hunt you down.

I had to. While he was talking, I was able to trace his location. I'm going to give the information over to Death Watch so they can assassinate him.

Death Watch! Lux they're a terrorist group! How do you know they won't kill you once you give over the data? No, I can't let you do that. I'm sorry.

Lux, sensing he lost the argument, backed off the topic and pretended to fall asleep in one of the bedrooms. Ahsoka feel asleep shortly later, powering down R2D2 as well. Lux quietly left his room and went to the cockpit to change their coordinates to the ones Death Watch gave him. They landed before Ahsoka woke up, so he snuck out of the ship, taking her lightsabers with him, so she would be unarmed. He made a deal with Death Watch and said he was waiting on his girlfriend to finish getting ready, so they left him a speeder and gave him the coordinates of their base. Ahsoka snuck up behind him a few minutes later and said:

Lux are you crazy! They're a terrorist group! I thought we discussed this earlier!  
Ahsoka, I have to do this for my mother. I have to avenge her death.

Then let the Republic help you! We can protect you, and we will defeat Dooku.

No, you don't understand. I have to do this for myself. My whole life I've been sheltered, and now I finally have a chance to change something for the better. I'm doing this with or without your help.

Fine, but don't be surprised when they turn on you.

They jumped on the speeder and rode through the snowbanks, watching as it glistened in the afternoon sun as if to send a message with Morse Code to an unsuspecting audience. They arrived at the base a few hours later, and Lux felt as Ahsoka's arms unwrapped themselves from his waist - he longed for the ride to never end. Two guards led them to a pure-black tent with a white insignia inscribed on the side, stating the leader would speak with them in a few moments. Ahsoka continued her argument:

Lux we can bail now. Just give me my lightsabers and we'll be out of here.

Ahsoka, I thought we discussed this already, I'm not goi

Hey that's my line.

Haha where do you think I learned it from? Regardless, though, I have to do this, and I will do this.

As those words left his mouth, the two guards returned with the leader, and Lux, unable to think of anything else, kissed Ahsoka - her tender lips warming his in an ethereal caress for an ephemeral second.

Excuse me, are you two done here. We would really like to get down to business.

As his lips left hers, an emptiness draped his mouth - he finally kissed her, but it was fleeting to think anything of it.

Yes, yes. Of course, sir.

The negotiations began, and as Lux was about to hand over the data an explosion came from one of the tents nearby - the target droids had gone rogue. They both escaped on the same speeder they used to get to the base, her arms again wrapping around his waist in perfect harmony, watching as the moonlight washed over the cold waves of snow while an inferno raged beyond the reach of civilization. They boarded the ship, and Ahsoka disappeared into the bridge while Lux snuck into the escape pod. He had to avenge his mother, and if he could not kill Dooku, he would free his home planet from Dooku's grasp. Ahsoka came running down the stairs seconds after he turned the power on, and he realized their kiss was not fleeting - she was in love too, but it was too late to change history.

A ship lands in the distance, waking Lux up; she's here.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter 4_**

As Lux bursts through the barrack's door, the morning sun glistens across the dew blanketing the jungle, and Ahsoka appears behind a branch sparkling like the night-sky - radiating an irresistible calmness. She glances towards him and shyly moves back to her ship to tell Skywalker to come out of the cockpit. Skywalker exits with Obiwan and Rex as Lux and Saw go to greet their guests. Saw begins:

Greeting Jedi. It's nice to see you slipped past the blockade.

Well with my flying did you expect any less?  
I suppose not. Anyways let's get down to business. We have a lot of recruits who don't know how to fight but want to help take down the Separatist regime.

Obiwan starts to protest, but Rex immediately begins a speech about the importance of unity. Lux tries to pay attention, but behind Rex he notices Ahsoka swirling water droplets around in the air as if to glance through each one and see a new world. Rex's speech ends as they start physical exercise which everyone excels at because of Saw's intense training program. They are then split into two groups with Lux and Saw being the leaders. Lux opts for grenade training first and is paired with Ahsoka and Rex. Two droidekas stand idly as practice targets in front of them as Lux and another recruit pick up a grenade - the rest waiting nervously behind them in two uniform lines. Rex says:

Now, the objective is to roll the grenade and get it past the shield. Their shield only repels fast moving objects like bullets, but if you roll the grenade slow enough it will slip by and land inside the shield. Ladies and gentlemen if you have the strength to take on the separatists the time is now, good luck and may the force be with us all.

The recruit glances nervously towards Lux, but Lux stares back with fire in his eyes. He wants to prove himself to Ahsoka, he needs to prove himself, and he intends on doing so. He rolls to grenade around in his hand and stares into the blinking red light; then he releases it, and it rolls smoothly across the pavement, decelerating as the shield looms closer until it is absorbed into the bluish-clear sphere. Electricity explodes out of the grenade and the droideka retracts into an immobile ball. Rex applauds Lux while Ahsoka glances into his eyes before turning around to talk to Skywalker. Some recruits are successful like him, but those that are not continue on to target practice with Saw. Rex and Ahsoka continue working with Lux and his squad, teaching them consistency and technique, and occasionally Lux pretends to fail so Ahsoka will come over and help him - pressing her body against his back while moving his arm with hers in perfect harmony. Training continues past the sunset until only the faint glow of the droidekas' shield illuminates their faces. Rex and Skywalker call everyone together, applauding their hard work and sending them to bed for the night. Lux pushes through the recruits to find Ahsoka, but she is nowhere to be found. He walks past locking doors and murmured snoring until he reaches his room only to find Ahsoka leaning against the doorframe. Lux says:

Hey. I thought you went to sleep.

The time change threw me off, so I will probably be exhausted but unable to sleep for a while.

You want to see something cool?

Haha, sure.

So, they leave to go wander through the jungle, watching as leaves shuffling in the wind interrupt the sprinkled stars. The world around them slowly closes its eyes as if to fall asleep while Lux helps Ahsoka climb up a tree, pressing their backs against the trunk and resting their legs on the colossal branch protruding outwards. Owls fly through the sky as Lux and Ahsoka let laughs slip out between sentences - a conversation about life and nothing else. Their eyes glisten as the night-sky seeps down to their branch, and as her head slowly sinks down on his shoulder, their words fade into oblivion, transcending breaths against the cooling air until the sunlight slips past the canopy, illuminating their faces. They run through the forest, carrying the morning sun with them as Onderon wakes up for another day of waiting. Lux trips on a concealed branch, and lands on Ahsoka. They both lay on the ground laughing, and her hand innocently slides into his while leaves blow over them in perfect incoherence. They stand up and continue to the base, letting go of each other's hand as they reached the metal walls surrounding the camp. Saw, furious as always, interrogates them, but Ahsoka, being clever, states they thought they heard some droids and went to investigate. She fools Saw, Obiwan, and Rex, but Anakin knows she's lying because he too has snuck off with a lover under night's sensual veil. However, he does not question her, because his life without Padme would not be worth living, and if Lux fills that void for her then he only hopes she can keep her secret.

Saw and Rex already started training for the day with Skywalker filling in for Lux as commander. Lux returns to his squad and continues working on accuracy as well as melee fighting. They issued out swords similar to lightsabers only they didn't require the force to use them to Lux and his squad. This gives them an advantage in case anyone sneaks up behind them; however, they are little use if the enemy is far away - that's where Saw's squad comes in. Saw and his squad have been doing target practice all morning in preparation for the assault on Iziz later in the afternoon. The main purpose is to gather intel on the Separatist plan of defense for the city as well as rob them of valuable weapons. Shortly after lunch both squads pack into carts with hay, lumber, and iron surrounding them so they won't be picked up on scanners or seen if the carts are searched. Then, they leave the base as the afternoon sun beats down directly above them - piercing through the jungle leaves and onto their skin.

Alright men, today we head out and take on the Separatists. When fighting we are only to target military instillations. The only way this revolution will work is if we gain public support and break apart the occupying government. In twenty-minutes we will arrive in Iziz where we will take down the Separatist armory. Lux's squadron and Ahsoka will create a diversion by attacking a tank division on the opposite side of the city while we go in and steal their weapons.

Soon after Saw's speech, Iziz's concrete walls appear between trees until nature halts while guard towers line the entrances to keep her at bay. They pull the covers over their carts and place the raw goods in front so if they are searched the droids will not see them. The carts move and stop while Lux listens to the cover blow in the wind, hoping the sun won't peak through the stacks of goods. Voices sift through the air, and eventually the 'all clear' signal is given. Lux, Ahsoka, and a group of 5 others exit the first cart and head off to create a diversion on the opposite end of the city. They climb the stairs in the closest building until they get to the roof, jumping from roof to roof to get to palace - far enough away from the armory but not too far so they can make a quick escape. The palace is the most heavily guarded place in Iziz, and because of this most people avoid the area. However, it is critical to the government and will be defended at all costs. They line the buildings around the palace and throw the first round of grenades, destroying two droid squadrons and three tanks. Within seconds the palace gates close as alarms bellow down the city streets. Ahsoka says to Lux:

Are you ready to introduce yourself to the people?

I hope so. Wish me luck.

May the force be with you Commander Lux.

Attention citizens of Iziz, you do not need to fear us. I am Lux Bonteri, son of your beloved senator Mina Bonteri who was ruthlessly murdered by Count Dooku. The attack on the palace has been conducted by a group of rebels looking to topple the occupying separatist government on Onderon. I ask you to join us in opposition to the oppression imposed by the separatists and fight for freedom.

The blue lights projecting his speech fade into the breeze as people slowly exit the buildings and clap in support of the rebellion. Battle droids soon reemerge from the palace with five more tanks and a super-battle droid battalion as Ahsoka, Lux, and his squadron prepare for the second wave. They are able to hold the droids off for a considerable amount of time by jumping to different roofs and attacking from different angles, but ultimately there are too many droids. They flee and meet up at the rendezvous spot - the old cantina. Saw is late, but Lux is not too concerned - grabbing the weapons would be easy, but navigating through the chaos in Iziz caused by their diversion will be much more difficult. Lux's squadron goes to have a drink as Lux and Ahsoka go upstairs to his old room.

All the furniture is covered in dusty plastic - the sunlight barely able to sift through the room. Ahsoka pushes the dust and plastic into the hallway with the force, revealing a desk, chair, and slightly indented bed. Lux and Ahsoka both go sit on the bed, leaning against the wall and into each other's shoulders. They talk for a while, again ignoring the world around them and focusing on life before the war. As they talk, they laugh, and eventually laugh so much that they fall silent while gazing into each other's eyes. Their lips move closer together until the space between them is nonexistent - love slips out in the air around them although they may not know what it means, only that they are saying it together. A truck hums quietly outside as Saw's voice moves through the building. It's time to leave.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter 5_**

Saw yells into the cantina:

"LUX WHERE ARE YOU! WE NEED TO MOVE"

Lux and Ahsoka quickly slip on their clothes and cover the furniture in plastic before heading down stairs - the dust twirls around into mini-tornados until it settles in unequal clumps across the floor. Saw glares directly through Lux as if to stare down the stairs behind him.

"What the hell were you two doing?"  
"We were making sure you weren't followed. No droids in the area sir, so whenever you're ready, Ahsoka and I are ready to leave with our squad"

"Whatever. Get in the trucks already"

They enter the carts, draping tarps over themselves in waves to not draw attention to themselves or the weapons they are smuggling. The carts roll along the street, bouncing over every third cobblestone slab until they reach the gate. Muffled droid voices press against the tarps, but none blow them away, so they escape the hostile city before it unravels into chaos. Once the walls are no longer visible, Saw orders the tarps removed so he can address the group:

"Today you became revolutionaries. You fought against the oppression of the Separatists and inspired protests against the droid army. Tomorrow we continue our assault on key Separatist targets until they surrender the planet. Our beloved senator who pushed for the relaxation of Separatist influence on Onderon was murdered by those barbarians ruling over this planet, and today marks the beginning of our revolution to finish what she started. Only this time we don't want to relax Separatist influence, we want to destroy it and let it rot alongside the Hutts and pirates. Get some rest tonight, because tomorrow we have a lot of work to do".

Applause echoes through the jungle's walls as they arrive back at their base. Ahsoka goes to talk with Anakin and Obi-wan to update them on their mission while Saw and Lux go to the war room, crunching branches littered across the steel walkways. When they enter, a woman around twenty years old stands with her arms crossed in annoyance:  
"You were twenty minutes late."

"Look sis relax. Lux took way too long in his distraction and set me back ten minutes. Then we lost another fifteen minutes to his squad boarding the carts. You're lucky we weren't later. I made up five minutes on the trek back."

"Woah, Woah, Woah. Saw come on. You were at least twenty minutes late to the rendezvous. You were lucky you weren't followed.

"Who's your sidekick Saw? He seems to know more than you."

"Steela shut it. Just pull up the map already. And as for Lux, he has fewer brain cells than everyone here put together"

"Both of you just please stop. Saw you're arrogant and ruthless, but you're a natural born leader. Steela is it, I honestly have no idea who you are, but no one is anyone's sidekick here. We are all equal. All I want to do is liberate my home, and that's all you two should want to do too, so can we please start"

"Alright, not sidekick, let's begin."

The holo-communicator flickers to life with a light blue map of Iziz rotating counterclockwise. The palace has arrows drawn at various weak spots around the inner-city's walls and "Operation Freedom" inscribed above it. The original King of Onderon is held prisoner inside the palace, and if they free him and gain his support, all of Onderon will support their revolution. Around the city, various droid checkpoints have red dots - these are the targets to gain the Separatist's attention. They know the battle for Iziz will drain the rebellion of its resources, but they will ultimately have to stage a direct assault on the city to rid it of the Separatists.

"Saw, tomorrow you go take out the droids at checkpoints: 3, 5, and 9, while I take out the droids at checkpoints: 4, 8, and 12. This will thin them out and show everyone we are invested in this revolution. Then we'll meet up and play a new message that Lux records tonight for the people. Lux, tomorrow why don't you stay back and oversee the troops as they train for a frontal assault."

"Steela with all due respect shouldn't one of us try to break out the King while the other two have the droids distracted? I could take some troops and do that instead of wasting time here"

"Good idea, but why don't you let Saw and I handle that. We wouldn't want anything to mess up that pretty face of yours. Saw, you and I will both meet up and break the King out of the palace while some of our troops attack the designated checkpoints. Then they'll play the message while we escape with the King."

"Not at all what I had in mind but alright. I'll go record the message now."

Lux leaves the war room and walks down a corridor to his study. He pulls out a pure-black journal with white pages filling the inside and writes his speech:

"People Citizens of Onderon, yesterday marked the beginning of our revolution, but today marks the beginning of your revolution. We need your help in fighting the Separatists. Protest against evil, lift up your arms, and spit in the eye of this separatist puppet government. Together we can liberate this world ourselves and our planet. We, the rebellion, stand united and ready to fight alongside you."

As Lux edits his draft, Steela sneaks in, closes the door behind Lux, and lays across his bed.

"So if you're not a sidekick, then what should I call you"

"Haha, very funny. Listen Steela if you wouldn't mind I really must get back to editing this speech"

"Oh no worries, I'll see -

Ahsoka walks in and sees Steela sprawled across Lux's bed, the sheets wrapping around her curves in waves - tears form but she chokes them back to say:

"Master Skywalker will be leaving soon and wishes to speak with you"

She hurries out of the doorframe as Lux chases her down.

"Ahsoka wait"

"It's none of my business Lux. I'm a Jedi; I protect the defenseless. I cannot give in to my emotions"

"Ahsoka nothing happened. She snuck into my room and laid down on my bed. I thought she was just pacing before I turned around when you came in."  
"And that's all that happened"  
"Ahsoka I love you. My loyalty is to you and you alone. I will never hurt you"

A few tears streak down her cheeks as Lux brushes them away with his fingers.

"Lux, I can't, I just can't. I'm sorry."

She runs away as Lux presses his back into the wall before turning around and punching it in an icy anger. He sits for a moment in the deserted hallway as if to brood on the possibility of the truth - wrapping his fingers around his head and collapsing into himself - but ultimately continues on to see General Skywalker.

"Commander Lux."  
"General Skywalker, it's been an honor having you here"

"Thank you. Lux, I need you to keep Saw in check. Obi-Wan and I have curtailed some of his eccentric ideas, but with us gone I fear he will run wild. I'm leaving Ahsoka here to keep us informed of what develops, but whatever you do, do not get too close to him. He can easily corrupt people's minds."

"Of course, general. Thank you for your time and support"

And with that, Skywalker rallies Rex and Obiwan, and they leave. Ahsoka stays behind to provide the Jedi council with updates and advise the rebellion. The day slowly creeps into nighttime as Lux moves throughout the base and the forest as if to search for an incorruptible truth to present to Ahsoka. Dinner ends with an awkward gathering between Lux, Saw, Steela, and Ahsoka - Steela making digs at the Jedi code while Ahsoka pretends to not hear a word she says. After they clean up Lux approaches Ahsoka:

"I have something to show you"

"Lux, really, I don't care. You want to date her fine, whatever, just leave me out of it"  
"Ahsoka please, just come with me"

She rolls her eyes and follows Lux into the jungles, moving around trees until she sees light spill past the leaves. Some light bulbs cling to the branches, swirling into arabesques of red, purple, and blue while others peak through the grass, illuminating the ground in a pure white blanket. Wooden planks make a path to a central tree, rose petals are sprinkled in perfect incoherence about the area, and a pergola, made of twigs and leaves, is wrapped in pink and white lights.

"Ahsoka, now do you believe me?"

She laces her fingers through his and pulls him to sit under the pergola - blushing below the pure-white crescent moon. She leans slightly on his shoulder before gazing into his longing eyes, and in pure passion, she pressed her lips against his. Tomorrow the battle for Onderon officially begins, chaos will consume the dying planet in an absolute darkness, but tonight they enjoy a lasting peace as the night breeze caresses the surroundings which creak under the harmonic movement of their figures.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 6_**

The morning sun breaks through the trees, twisting and turning around branches woven between tree trunks until it shatters across Ahsoka and Lux - their warm bodies wrapped in a bed sheet as the cold air blows across them. Lux opens his eyes and feels Ahsoka press her head into his bare chest, their skin being the only barrier between them. He moves his hand softly down her shoulder until he meets hers and laces their fingers together. She laughs softly as she says:

"We really better go this time Lux"

"Well if you insist, my lady, however, I don't suppose an extra kiss would slow us down"

"No, I suppose it wouldn't"

She turns her head up to his and brushes their lips together - their silky smoothness caressing each other until the sunlight moves past their foreheads.

"Now we have to go"

So they leave, walking through the jungle as if it's their first time seeing it - they look up at the fragmented sky, press each other into trees to deliver the simplest of kisses, and wrap their arms around each other until they are just outside the base, until that boundary which they dissolved under the moonlight rips their fingers apart once again. When they return to the base, Ahsoka blows off Saw and mumbles something about surveillance, so he drags Lux to the War Room for questioning.

"What did you learn about their defenses"  
"Nothing new really"  
"So you went out on surveillance and found out nothing. Damn it, Lux! I've just about had enough of you. You know those Jedi want me to move slowly right. The nerve of them. We invite them to help us out, and what do they do; they waltz in here and tell us we're doing everything wrong. Well enough is enough. From now on you need to keep Ahsoka out of the loop. When you write up the briefings for her, you are to write up two of them, one for us and one for her. And if you so much as whisper this to anyone else, I will see that you are the first casualty of this revolution. Understand?"

"Yes sir…."

"Hey idiots", Abigail enters behind them, "I got you your King"

Although Saw is not able to determine exactly how she snuck into the palace and then broke out undetected, he wastes little time in bringing the King into the War Room. Upon seeing Lux, the King apologizes for his loss and vows to persecute the Separatists behind his mother's murder. They discuss the state of the planet and possible options to sway public opinion more drastically. Saw, however, continues on and says they are about to begin the final assault on the capital whether the public is ready or not until Steela bursts in and says:

"General Gerrera you need to come outside immediately and see this"  
A few seconds later Saw screams back to Lux: "The droids have found us! Ready your troops immediately!"  
Abigail laughs softly under her breath.

"What is so funny?"  
"You and Saw really don't get it, do you. There is no Republic or Separatist Alliance. The same person who told me to finance your operation is the same one who sent the droids to your base"  
"So you lead them here!"  
"Of course I did. This war is a mere distraction for the true ruler of the galaxy. You might think Dooku controls the Separatists and the Chancellor controls the Republic, but there is someone who is wielding both sides for the enjoyment of war itself. Dooku is powerless compared to his master, and yet his master is the same person wh-"

Two gunshots later and she's dead. Her lifeless body slumps into the wall as Saw's gun smokes away what is left of her breath.

"What the hell did you do that for? She needed to stand trial Saw! Besides she was about to reveal to us who is behind all of this."  
"Lux please, I run things here, and as far as I'm concerned, we don't need traitors behind our lines. I've given the order to kill all prisoners and that includes Abigail. Now go to your squad unless you want to end up like her."

Lux leaves the War Room and rallies his troops before heading to the battlefield. Three tank divisions approach along with thousands of droids. Saw and his squadron go to the capital with the King to try and retake the palace while the droids are distracted here, leaving Lux's and Steela's squadrons to wait for a deliverance which might never come. Ahsoka joins them on the battlefield, taking on the super battle droids with some of Steela's troops while Lux and his squad distract the tanks. They don't have enough grenades to take out each tank, so they will need to capture some of the tanks and use them against the droids. At first, the battle is a stalemate with both sides throwing every bullet against each other in the hopes of winning, but their rebellion has far fewer troops. So, they move into the trees and ambush the droids from above. A few of Lux's troops finally manage to capture a tank without the droids noticing, so they are able to take out a considerable number of droids and a few enemy tanks before their tank is blown up - they died for an idea, not a person or a place, but an idea in which they will never see completed and yet it's as if they possessed an everlasting hope that their death will push it closer to reality. They keep fighting, the living against the electronic mind, flesh losing to piles of metal, the mindful winning against mindless programming. Lux and Steela fight next to each other and cover Ahsoka as she leads a charge towards the droid commander. As Lux is firing at a super battle droid, another droid fires at him, and in an instant, he in on the ground covered in Steela's blood - it's red and moist, hardly recognizable on the jungle floor littered with bodies and machines, but she's dead; she died for him. Lux stays by her body and covers Ahsoka from the ground, careful not to attract too much attention and be overrun. Then for some unknown reason, the droids stop; each one powers off - some slump forward, some backward, and some collapse onto themselves - Saw must have found a way to power them all off at once.

A few minutes later, Lux receives a call on his holocommunicator from Saw telling him to go to the capital immediately. He carries Steela's body back to the base and gives it her squadron to cover and prepare for the funeral. Then he and Ahsoka head to the capital with a small task force. When they arrive, they see people lining the streets throwing confetti and streamers through the air while droids are being carted away in trucks to be melted down. They march through the city towards the palace where the King now wears his crown and the people applaud his leadership - a thunderous applause for a democracy that fails to exist. However, the Separatists are expelled from the planet, and the King is ready to give his inaugural speech:

"Citizens of Onderon I applaud you for rising against the oppressive force of tyranny imposed by the sinister Count Dooku. In an effort to preserve justice I will send a delegate to the Republic, not to ask for trade agreements and neutrality, but to join them in their quest to rid the galaxy of evil. Today marks the day the common man stood up for his own freedom, and in honor of the people who died fighting for this freedom, I declare today as a national holiday of celebration and of mourning. We might have freed ourselves, but elsewhere in the galaxy people still fear the droid army. It is our duty to contribute to their demise, and in the interest of ensuring our voice is heard in the Galactic Senate, I am appointing Lux Bonteri, son of our beloved Senator Mina Bonteri, as our delegate and senator to the Galactic Republic. I would also like to appoint Saw Gerrera as the Secretary of Defense to ready our defenses against a possible Separatist assault. Never again will this planet sit in the hands of a tyrant. May the force be with both of you and with us all as we continue the fight against the Separatists."

Another thunderous applause bellows down the streets of Iziz as Lux and Saw bow before the audience. Lux leaves with Ahsoka to head to Coruscant, the capital of the Republic and home of the Jedi temple, as Saw works on establishing a more polished and prestigious military, forgetting to mourn his sister under the mounting pressure from the King and public for increased public safety and defense. Steela's death goes unrecorded in Onderon's history, but Lux will never stop fighting for the girl who gave her life so he could go on to finish what her brother started - maybe she sacrificed herself out of love or maybe she thought they would both be saved but regardless she is now gone forever and he is powerless to change that. Despite their victory, Lux still can't stop thinking about what Abigail said to him earlier - is it possible that behind the face of evil is another more sinister creature? This creature, this nameless, unidentifiable creature, in Lux's mind, now takes the form of a silhouette which remains incorruptible in a quest for galactic domination, a silhouette playing on both sides to see which is the strongest only to destroy the other from the inside out, a silhouette which signs its name to galactic history by remaining entirely in darkness.

Thank you all for your continued support! I can't wait to read all of your reviews! This marks the end of Lux's journey on Onderon. I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. There is more to this story, however, so do not worry this isn't the end, at least not yet. In the next part, I hope to include more relevant and reoccurring side characters to help push this story along. Also, I am very excited to explore the world of Coruscant with you guys. It is my favorite planet in the Star Wars Universe, and I think you will see that in some of the chapters to come. Anyways, thank you for reading, and I look forward to our journey into the next phase of this story.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Chapter 7_**

Coruscant, the crown jewel of the Republic, a testament to democracy and diversity while veiling corruption behind a constant will to do better for constituents. Seeing the galactic city from the side of the Senate offices is like seeing the endless possibilities of life and realizing you too are one of those possibilities - skyscrapers kiss the edge of the atmosphere as millions of cruisers fly through them in overlapping straight lines. Lux lives in a building close to where Senator Amidala lives, and they often attend Senate meetings together as their political agendas are very similar. They both want to limit the influence the government has on regional planets while also decreasing the role of the Chancellor in galactic politics. When he arrives at the Senate offices Ahsoka is sometimes waiting for him hidden behind the rows of columns on the main level, although today she is not here - she's not yet returned from a mission in the outer rim. As he enters, fluorescent lights wash over the hallways while crown molding embroiders the walls and ceilings. He turns to the left after passing the golden statue of Lady Justice and enters his office - a two room suite with a desk and lounge area. The city lays just beyond the glass covering the far wall, and occasionally Lux stares outside, not really looking for anything just enjoying the ability to actually lay his eyes on the city itself - it seemed to empathize with all the lives living within it as if it was beyond the grasp of natural selection. He has a senate meeting in a few minutes, so he quickly leaves his office and runs across the Senate district to the Rotunda. Rows of colossal statues honoring the founders of the Republic line the walkway leading up to the heart of democracy - the sunlight streaks across their bronze and silver figures as he moves past them. Once inside he goes to his seat which is on the tenth level, one level below Senator Amidala and three spots to her left. As soon as the session starts, Lux knows this will be another long debate - the senator from Kamino wants more money for clone creation while Senator Amidala and Senator Organa are opposed to any more funding in support of the war. Eventually, Lux has had enough of merely listening and decides to interject. He presses the glowing, white, rectangular button on his control panel and floats into the debate floor, revolving opposite of the senator from Kamino and at a slightly slower speed than Senator Amidala and Senator Organa. Then he beings his speech:

"Senators please we can't keep going on like this. It doesn't matter whether or not we appropriate 10 credits or 10 billion credits to clone development, the fact of the matter is we have no effective strategy to defeat the Separatists. This war has become a spending contest to see who can run their economy into the ground and still survive as a nation. I for one do not want to see the deficit widened because we keep throwing money at a problem that cannot be solved with money. Spending money on clone development doesn't improve their abilities, it just makes more of them. I propose we amend the bill to restructure the training program of clones to be better suited to specific environments. This way we can send some clones to fight on desert planets while other ones can fight in jungles. This will lower our overall losses and require less funding than the current proposal."

Despite being new to the Senate, Lux carries a considerable amount of respect, and his proposal was met with a thunderous applause. The revised bill, which appropriated money towards a new training program, passed smoothly, and the Chancellor signed it within a few hours of the session. Senator Amidala was pleased, and even though the senator from Kamino didn't approve of the bill, they could not deny the potential it had to turn the tide of the war against the Separatists. After going to a budget meeting, Lux returns to his apartment. Usually, he walks, but he was exhausted after today's events, so he took the bus instead. Rows of empty seats border him until a few other senators he's not too close with board as well. The bus is mostly empty when it leaves - arching in a parabolic curve to join the traffic patterns until it breaks off at the various stops. Lux's stop is the third on this route, so after around twenty minutes he is home. His apartment is one of the smaller ones in regard to other senators, but it is still three floors with ample space. The first floor consists of a fountain with whitish-gray couches on either side. The second floor has a kitchen and dining room along with another sitting area on a patio outside, and the third floor has two bedrooms and an indoor living room. Tonight a few friends from the Senate come to his apartment to eat dinner. Despite not understanding certain aspects of the posh senate world, he enjoys throwing lavish dinner parties as if relishing in their pretentiousness provides him a way to step outside his world and enter theirs. They talk and laugh about various proceedings as well as debate the importance of individualism before the night concludes. Normally Lux goes off to read before going to bed, but tonight he decides to go to a café not too far from his apartment and watch Coruscant slip past him. Similarly different people mill in and out of the café - some stare at their holo-communicators while others use their tablets to play games or check the various developments in the galaxy - but they are all just as alone as Lux who sits alone at a table by the window watching this fantastic collage of people. Everyone is equally alone, and yet in that moment some people feel connected to someone or something - they feel the very act of scrolling or waiting for a call somehow connects them to a social realm. A few people stroll through the doors in groups, laughing at absolutely nothing - is it possible that they too are alone, that everyone here in some way is alone and merely holding onto the hope that being together adds the social dimension they desire to have to their lives? It must be possible to be more than just alone, but the line between an interaction and nothing appears wider than before. However, Lux doesn't mind sitting and watching the world spin around him. The skyscrapers rise higher, ships travel faster, and possibilities for conversation multiply by merely sitting in a crowded café and floating amongst the chaos caused when voices press against the air. After a few hours, Lux returns home and sinks deeper into his bed until he dreams.

The morning sun filters through his curtains, waking him up for the day - Saturday to be exact. He stretches on his bed, sending waves across the sheets wrapped around him, and after a few minutes he gets out of bed and goes to breakfast. He is wearing a grayish-white shirt with black pants as he goes downstairs. Usually, he eats in the dining room, but today he brought his book and takes his food downstairs to the first floor to sit by the fountain. It is really the 140th floor, but it's the lowest floor his apartment on. As he steps into the room he sees Ahsoka staring out at the city. He knows she felt his presence - he saw her shoulders relax slightly as he walked in - so he calls her name, and she runs into his arms. He drops his things and pulls her close to him, running his hands down her arms until their fingers lace together.

"I thought you wouldn't be back until next week"

"Anakin sent me back early. He said he wanted me to research something for him at the Jedi temple, so I did that last night while you were asleep and came here this morning"

"So, you stayed up all night just for me?"  
"Well, it really didn't take too long. I got around two hours of sleep. Oh, by the way, I really liked your speech. I showed it to the clones on the ship and they also thought it would be more effective to train for specific planets rather than have one-size fits all training plan."

"Haha well I'm glad you liked it"

He stared into her eyes for a few more seconds before kissing her lips. At her lips touch everything between an interaction and nothing dissolves into their present beings, and for the first time in over two months, they were finally together. He could once again hold her in his arms, hear her laugh as he told a joke, even see her smile softly as she watches the sunset between interlocking skyscrapers. They spend most of the day sitting on the couches by the fountain, Lux likes to watch Ahsoka move the water with the force - this place, it's so untainted from the rest of the universe around them, Coruscant is truly a place where anything, anything at all, is possible, even them.

Lux tells Ahsoka about various developments in the Senate including the split in the Chancellors main supporters while Ahsoka tells Lux about the successes they are having in the outer rim. Now that they are no longer at war with the Hutts, Republic ships can use Hutt space to ambush the Separatists. This has been disrupting their trade routes and supply lines. Part of the way through one of Lux's stories about the budget crisis Ahsoka fell asleep in his arms, not because she was bored, but rather she lacked the energy to stay awake, so he grabbed a blanket and covered her as she napped, kissing her forehead before he sat on the opposite couch to read. Most people use e-readers - paper books are only for the rich - so a few weeks ago Lux used his excess money from his wage to fund a library in the old market district. It was once the heart of Coruscant but has since joined the underworld and is now filled with rampant crime. However, crime in the area has gone down with the addition of the library and increased security paid for by Lux. Even though there are billions of people on the planet, Lux believes changing even one life is worth any amount of money. The new library gives the old district a place of pride, a place which is no longer a series of tombstones where bustling shops and consumerism once radiated their usual wealth.

Ahsoka wakes up a few hours later, just before dinner. Lux made soup and griddled cheese for them, a light, easy meal but her favorite - she enjoyed its simplicity as if she wanted to live just life and nothing else. They ate and laughed about how late she slept before cleaning up and going to bed. They each put on their pajamas before sinking into the bed, whispering words of love into the darkness while propelling the sinusoidal rise of fall of the sheets until the moon slipped past ninety degrees with the horizon and finally, for the first time in months, they sleep without fear for each other or themselves.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Chapter 8_**

The morning sun slips through the cracks of their blinds as the alarm clock rings - 7:00, much too early for anyone to be forced into moving beyond the bed, but today is the most important non-senate debate day Lux has seen in a while. Ahsoka is already awake and has enjoyed her moments of solitude along the Coruscant skyline, but she also felt a constant longing to hear Lux's voice again. Lux shuffles downstairs into the kitchen after he gets dressed and tells Ahsoka he has to meet with the Chancellor today.

"What? Why? Can't you reschedule the meeting?"  
"I'm sorry, but I can't. Abigail said something to me on Onderon that makes me question some senators' loyalty to the Republic, and I need to act before it's too late."

"What did she say"

"Before Saw killed her, she said someone was controlling both the Republic and the Separatists and that this war was a mere distraction for their rise to power. I can't sit by and watch trillions of people lose their freedom, knowing I had a chance to stop that from happening."

"I'll talk to Master Yoda too. He might know some information. The Sith might in some way be involved in this"

"Good thinking. I'll be back from the Senate District before dinner. If you finish your meeting with Master Yoda early you could stop by if you want. I have some paperwork to do after my meeting, but I always welcome a distraction."

"Haha of course Lux. I'll head over once I'm done"

Lux goes over and pulls Ahsoka close to him, just having her here has brought so much peace to his life. They eat breakfast together, and he kisses her softly on the cheek before leaving to go see the Chancellor. The morning bus is always his favorite bus to take as the fantastic conglomeration of people never fails to impress - musicians, poets, gamblers, criminals, parents, children, and legislators all pack into one vehicle and travel to God knows where and yet in those few moments they are strangers among strangers; their worlds are entirely unknown to the people around them except for the silent nods and meaningless conversations bouncing between the seats. After a half hour or so the bus stops at in front of the Chancellor's Office, and Lux begins his journey to the hemisphere rising out of the ground - the Senate Offices as well as the offices for the Executive Branch - and passes the gardens of Liberty and Freedom alongside the bronze and silver statues of the founders of the Republic just before the entrance to the building. When he reaches the Chancellor's office, the Speaker of the Senate says the Chancellor is currently on a holo-call and Lux will have to wait a few minutes for him to finish, so Lux takes a seat in the cylindrical room with a fountain in the center and stares at the water - it makes sense to use war as a cover for ascertaining power, it's the easiest place to hide evidence as most will be destroyed in the process and all that's left are whisperings in the dark, nothing more. It might be possible that Abigail's information is a mere whisper that was misunderstood, but Lux seems more and more unsure as he waits for the mysterious third guest to finish their call.

Around ten minutes later the Chancellor enters the fountain room and greets Lux cordially to which Lux responds with the utmost cordiality. Despite not liking the Chancellor's politics, Lux finds him to have very amiable qualities outside of Senate dealings. He enters the main office and begins listing his concerns:

"Chancellor Palpatine, I have reason to suspect there is a conspiracy formed against the Republic amongst members of both the Republic Senate and Separatist Parliament though I am unsure who is involved"

"This is the most unsettling of news. Please tell me what you know."

"When I was on Onderon, Saw killed our partner Abigail once he saw she sold out to the Separatists, but before she died she said one person was manipulating both the Republic and Separatist Alliance to gain power over the galaxy. However, I suspect there is a group within the Senate as there is no way one person can wield that much power without allies."

"You are most certainly right, to obtain such power unaided would be almost impossible and require decades of planning, which would have been before the Clone Wars even began. I was growing suspicious of the recent calm within the Senate. Of course, you and your faction along with Senator Amidala's never cease to debate, but a lot of senators seem to have lost their determination to fight out these bills. I thought your rise to popularity and influence might have been the cause, but it is also entirely possible that a group of senators have joined this group and are trying to go undetected. How many do you think are involved?"  
"I am unsure about the number, but it must be a significant amount. It would be impossible to sway the vote in the Republic to enact a change of that kind without the support of either my or Senator Amidala's factions, and I can assure you neither of us has heard any whisperings of a deal of that kind. However, I cannot speak for the Senator from Kamino's faction or the factionless senators."

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I think it would be best if we started a secret investigation into the dealings in the Senate, but we also need to limit the size of this group. I propose we bring in Senator Amidala and Senator Organa, but we cannot expand the group beyond that. They too hold a significant amount of influence and are the most trustworthy senators in the Senate. However, if anyone outside this group finds out about the investigation any chance we had of catching them will be gone."

"I agree completely, but what do you propose we do about the Separatists. I know they are not our allies; however, it seems likely the only way to truly understand what's going on is by understanding the dealings in their parliament too."

"We will monitor their debates and see if any anomalies have occurred over the past few months; however, I don't see how we can include any of their MPs without compromising the investigation. We wouldn't even know who to trust to begin with, and they have no reason to help or stay loyal to us."

"Right, of course. Thank you, Chancellor."

And with that Lux leaves the Chancellor's office and returns to his own office to find Ahsoka waiting by the window. He makes sure the door is shut before brushing his lips against Ahsoka with a tender softness and asks how her meeting was.

"It was decent. As expected he was shocked to hear the news but also had suspicions of his own. He told me the Jedi Temple is built over an old Sith Ruin, and that all the answers I'm looking for are within the ruin. I told him I'll go down their tomorrow and investigate. How did your meeting go with the Chancellor?"

"He said pretty much the same thing, except he is starting an investigation with Senator Amidala, Senator Organa, and myself into the dealings in the Senate although I'm not exactly sure how to tell who is involved and who isn't."

They both have a sullen look in their eyes as if realizing for the first time how impossible it will be to find the truth within this mere incomplete sentence uttered in a dying breath. Lux goes to work on some papers while Ahsoka tries to lighten the mood by telling obscene stories of Anakin flying and his various landings which often involve crashing ships, and after some time their laughter begins to drown out their thoughts, and the veil is once again thrown over the mystery surrounding them. They return to Lux's apartment for the night and choose to read before going to bed. Ahsoka, before she met Lux, didn't particularly enjoy reading, but after reading a few novels she has since come to enjoy this leisurely activity over the monotonous drone of reality holo-shows. The moon continues to rise higher in the sky, prompting them to go to bed, and despite this being their second night together, they are too exhausted to do anything more than hold onto each other as they drift asleep and let their dreams romp through the endless possibilities for tomorrow.


	9. Chapter 9

**Explanation**

The following two chapters happen during the same time. Each one starts with the same introduction to give a sense of time, but the storylines diverge relatively quickly.

 ** _Chapter 9_**

Lux rolls sloppily towards the alarm clock's incessant ring until he falls off the bed, taking the clock with him. A few pieces of broken glass, a cut hand, and a slightly bruised eye look up at Ahsoka as she laughs uncontrollably on the bed causing him to burst into laughter seconds later.

"Come on klutz, let's get you cleaned up"

They both continue their laughter as they enter the bathroom. Ahsoka grabs the first aid kit while Lux washes up and throws the clock in the trash.

"I suppose I won't look to senatorial today with the bruised eye. Maybe I could say I got into a bar fight"

"You in a bar fight? I'll lose in a fight to a few battle droids before that happens. Besides you're too young to be in there anyway. Why not just say your girlfriend pushed you off the bed?"

They continue their playful banter through breakfast until they both realize today is the beginning of their formal, secret investigation of the Republic. Anyone, including allies and mentors, could be involved, or this could all prove to be smokescreens and veils.

 **The Senate**

Lux takes the bus as always, but when he arrives at the Senate building he instead goes to see the delegation from Kamino about aligning with them on a new bill to boost spending. The Kaminoans are the most secretive of delegations and abstain on most bills not concerning the military. If any delegation is involved in a possible military takeover they are the most likely to either be behind it or have an alliance with those behind it. The hard part will be convincing his own faction in the Senate that voting for a spending bill will be in their favor. Regardless he has to try if this plan is to work. When he enters the Kaminoans' office, the environment immediately turns hostile as Lux is responsible for killing most of their bills on the Senate floor. However, he surprises them by saying he wants to sponsor a military spending bill and wants their help getting it through the Senate. He says the proposal is due to the failure of the Republic to keep the systems around Onderon safe from Separatist raids. While there have been very few raids in the area, he says he believes the Separatists are merely testing the Republic's defenses before they launch a campaign to steal the wealth and resources generated from those planets. The Kaminoans are hesitant at first, but once they hear his explanation they are immediately on board with this bill. He takes a seat in a chair across from the senator's desk and plants a listening device on its underside knowing the Kaminoans will never trust him enough to let him in on all of their dealings. They do, however, reveal the Banking Clan is one of their strongest allies and ask Lux to wait while they ask them for their opinion on his bill. Lux contemplates removing the listening device as he doesn't believe the Banking Clan to be capable of deception, and it appears they are the ones behind the Kaminoans' more extreme proposals. Regardless he leaves it there so as to not cross off his only lead. The Banking Clan is skeptical of his bill and declines to endorse it which in turn causes the Kaminoan Delegation to withdrawal their endorsement too. Lux leaves, relieved he won't have to convince his own faction to vote for the bill but confused as to why the Kaminoans let the Banking Clan control them.

Lux and Senator Amidala meet in her office to discuss their progress on the investigation, but her leads haven't led anywhere either. Senator Organa is in a meeting, but they decide to listen in on their bug in the Kaminoans' office:

"yes, of course, my Lord, but you must understand the chips always have a possibility of malfunction."

"Senator, I don't care what the expense is. These chips are of the utmost importance. Any more failures and not even I will be able to clean up your messes. If you don't get more funding, I will personally see to it that your paycheck is put toward the improvement of those chips"

"Of course, my Lord. I will see to it that there is more funding."

They hear the transmission end, but the Kaminoans keep talking.

"Those Jedi are a strange bunch aren't they."

"You would think they would trust themselves, but apparently someone other than Master Yoda is head of their Order."

"It's possible Master Yoda serves merely as an obstacle for the true leader. After all, our head research rotates between the various members of the research council to keep from assassination attempts. This might just be their way of preserving their Order, but the chips seem a little odd considering they contr-"

The bug must have fallen off the chair or been crushed somehow as all Lux and Padme can hear is static. Senator Amidala immediately begins voicing her concerns:

"That's strange, isn't it? Didn't it sound like they were going to say control?"

"It did, but what could chips possibly control? They can't possibly be talking about potato chips, right? Maybe listening bugs? But what do they control?"

"Nothing good. I have a budget meeting in a few minutes, and I will try to gain as much information as possible from the Kaminoan Senator without revealing what we know. However, I think you should bring this to the Chancellor immediately. It sounds like their plan is nearly complete."

"Of course, Senator Amidala. I will let you know what he says."

Lux leaves her office brooding on what game the Kaminoans are playing at. They certainly play a role, but they don't seem to be pulling the strings. The Banking Clan, despite their apparent control over the Kaminoan Delegation, also seems to be kept out of this matter as they did not voice their opinions at this meeting which based on the tone of the conversation seems to be of more importance to the Kaminoans than the spending bill Lux proposed. Most likely they will propose a research bill which Lux and his delegation will support only to help keep whatever their plan is in motion. If they halt this plan it's possible this lead may dry up and their investigation will be left in the dark once more. The evidence they have in it of itself is not incriminating, but it does warrant further investigation under the hope their leads pan out before it's too late. Lux arrives outside the Chancellor's office a few minutes later.

The Speaker is waiting outside the Chancellor's Office and seems mildly distressed to see Lux again. He takes a seat opposite of the fountain and continues to search for connections. Lux never suspected the Speaker to be involved, but he is currently in the perfect position to take over the Republic and would have the full support of the army and Senate if the Chancellor were to be assassinated. However, he never had any ties with the Separatists before the war, so it would be extremely difficult for him to establish any now. The same goes for the Kaminoans which makes it difficult to establish exactly what these chips are and if they are even relevant to his investigation. They are certainly a secret, but to what extent does this secret need to be revealed. If it protects the Jedi, then any public inquiries may compromise the Republic's war effort. Lux considers both of them to be possibilities, but the Speaker remains a very unlikely possibility as his office is right across from the Chancellors. Surely the Chancellor would notice any suspicious behavior coming from his most trusted aide. After a few minutes, the Chancellor invites Lux into his office.

"So, tell me, what have you learned so far."

"The Kaminoan Delegation is tied into the plot, but I believe they are unaware of their involvement. They were discussing the development of chips although I'm not sure what for. They talked about control and the Jedi council possibly having a leader who is not Master Yoda. Chancellor, they are going to propose a research bill in the next session, and I believe we have to let it pass if we are to keep learning about this plot. The chips must be tied to the war effort somehow, but they never said how. Also, they talked to an overlord of some kind, but they thought he was a secret leader of the Jedi Order. Do you know anything about this?"

"These developments are most troublesome. Come with me, we must discuss this elsewhere. I know of a place a little way out of the main districts where whoever is behind this is unlikely to look."

Lux joins the Chancellor in a rusted vehicle, designed this way to draw minimal attention to their movement. No one would suspect a Galactic Senator and the Chancellor himself to ride in this. The ships appear barely able to fly, but on the inside, it is lavishly furnished and flies smoother than the bus Lux rides daily to the Senate District. They arrive at what appears to be an old factory. The Chancellor leads Lux toward a ship parked on the opposite side, a minimalistic ship with its own pilot, a hemisphere window, and what appears to be two wings which expand out at cruising altitude to block the sunlight out while not hindering from the view - the Chancellor might be responsible for robbing the Republic of funds to buy this ship, but when the Senate runs a 100 trillion credit budget a few missing billion credits goes largely unnoticed. The ship appears to only fit one person, but there might be more room if the droid left. As soon as Lux sees this ship's boarding ramp lowered with a clock blowing just past the edge of the cockpit that he realizes the ship is not the Chancellor's. Count Dooku exits and points his lightsaber at Lux. Lux, unarmed and unable to contact for support, yells at the Chancellor to flee, but the Chancellor draws his own red lightsaber and points it at Lux.

"Well done, my boy, well done. I never thought you would find out about the chips. To give you some satisfaction before you die, I'll let you know what these mysterious chips do. They allow me when the time is right, and my new apprentice is primed, to order every clone to kill all Jedi. The clones will be powerless to fight the chip and will mindlessly kill their masters. Oh, and the beloved Skywalker that you've heard about from Ahsoka, he'll be the one to lead the assault on the temple. I was the Sith Lord you heard on the transmission, I was the one who ordered your mother's assassination, and now I suggest you get prepared to die because your time has run out."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I want to preserve the Republic, but I see that you've already won and at any moment can end it. However, I set up some insurance in case something like this happened. Take me prisoner and leak my location to the Jedi. My insurance will come, and I will tell them to flee and end their investigation. Then erase my mind and release me."

"And why would I do any of that when I've already won."  
"Because, you have every piece you need, but if she finds out anything else your new apprentice will think twice before he joins you."

"So, you've recruited Ahsoka then. Not overly surprising, but I do see your point. Alright, you have yourself a deal, but don't think we can promise you'll live. Wiping minds is one of the most dangerous force abilities and can lead to the death of the person it's used on."

"I don't care. All I ask is you help me save her."

"Fine, I'll let you in on what's going to happen, but you cannot reveal where you heard this information from. You can only say exactly what I tell you to or else both you and her will perish."


	10. Chapter 10

**Explanation**

The previous chapter and this chapter happen at the same time. Each one starts with the same introduction to give a sense of time, but the storylines diverge relatively quickly.

 ** _Chapter 10_**

Lux rolls sloppily towards the alarm clock's incessant ring until he falls off the bed, taking the clock with him. A few pieces of broken glass, a cut hand, and a slightly bruised eye look up at Ahsoka as she laughs uncontrollably on the bed causing him to burst into laughter seconds later.

"Come on klutz, let's get you cleaned up"

They both continue their laughter as they enter the bathroom. Ahsoka grabs the first aid kit while Lux washes up and throws the clock in the trash.

"I suppose I won't look to senatorial today with the bruised eye. Maybe I could say I got into a bar fight"

"You in a bar fight? I'll lose in a fight to a few battle droids before that happens. Besides you're too young to be in there anyway. Why not just say your girlfriend pushed you off the bed?"

They continue their playful banter through breakfast until they both realize today is the beginning of their formal, secret investigation of the Republic. Anyone, including allies and mentors, could be involved, or this could all prove to be smokescreens and veils.

 **The Sith Ruins**

The morning sunlight glints playfully off Ahsoka's speeder as she drives toward the Jedi temple. Just beyond the upper crust of Coruscant lies the works where most of the water filtration for the planet takes place, and it also happens to be the only known entrance to the Sith ruins. Maybe Jedi scholars believe there are other entrances down lower, but with the continuation of the war, there is not enough time for them to explore. After landing in the main hanger, Ahsoka wanders for a while through the Jedi Archives before descending the staircase, wrought iron railings trace outlines fall leaves, to the lower levels where she sees the entrance, two charred metal doors with locks around the rusted handles. She inserts the code and pushes the door open, a loud thunder shudders down the hallway. The air inside is soft and cool and smells of a light rain as equally spaced, faint red lights flicker on the walls, the ceaseless flow of water rushing loudly just beyond the walls - they are made of black cobblestone and have cracks coursing across them like veins. The hallway stretches on for a while and is filled with puddles of a greenish-yellow liquid dripping from what must be one of the pipes above before going down a grotesque, spiral staircase with a diameter slightly smaller than the length of the temple. There are hallways jutting out on either side of the stairs into bedrooms and libraries, but the force continues to tug Ahsoka down until she reaches the amphitheater. Blue and white kyber crystals hang freely from the ceiling as stalagmites and distort the red lights into shades of purple, cyan, and magenta. The stairs line the exterior of the room, and in the middle, there is a circular table made of luminous, white marble with a hole in its center and eight dots of the same marble on the ground around it. The hole is filled with what appears to be water dripping down, and as Ahsoka approaches the table a white crystal falls from the ceiling and bounces across the floor. She picks it up, its edges are rough and carry blackened dust from the ground, and drops it into the hole. Eight reddish-black outlines appear on top of the dots and kneel around the table, they each wear cloaks that obscure their faces and leave only their lips illuminated. They begin chanting, mostly inaudible though she could hear their incoherent mumbles sift through the air, as the room beings to shake softly under the growing pressure of the force. She hears an explosion of what seems to be metal splitting apart and sees clear water start rushing into the cavern - a pipe burst. The ghosts grow brighter as both she and the crystal levitate, its color once white now glows a sharp orange, leaving her powerless to flee. The water level continues rising faster as she hears more explosions from above and eventually covers her. The crystals continue to reflect light and bend around the air bubbles rising to the ceiling. She is outlined in a faint red glow as one of the ghosts speaks:

"Take my hand and you will live."

The ghost has the voice of a woman which speaks with a mellifluous precision, and in facing certain death she takes its hand; they both burn bright red as she loses consciousness and is transported out of the cavern.

She awakens in what appears to be one of the many abandoned factories on Coruscant, far away from the heart of the capital but still on the upper crust nonetheless. A faint red glow ripples across her body as she rises. The Chancellor stands next to Dooku, each holding a red lightsaber pointed at Lux.

"My girl, you've finally arrived. Ah, you've brought company. Darth Nyriss, I'm surprised to see your spirit ventured so far from Dromund Kaas."

The faint ghost from the cavern slips out from Ahsoka's body, appearing brighter this time and without her cloak. She has long crimson hair flowing down to her upper back, two tendrils weave down her cheek, and a gold amulet dangles down from her hair and onto her forehead.

"Darth Sidious, I must say this whole operation of yours is quite underwhelming, and the best part is you think you can control the galaxy without any form of the Dark Council. With no one to reign you in as Emperor, your health will surely falter under the influence of the dark side, leaving not a single successor capable of possessing such power. You truly are as pathetic as your master stated."

"Irrelevant. There will soon be more Sith, and these Jedi will all be dead."

Sidious speaks with utter disdain, an undamped hatred, whereas Nyriss appears unphased and continues with her composed tongue. Her eyes appear as though they were red at her birth, never having held even an ounce of any other color, and despite her being an ancient Sith Lord, she possesses neither the wrinkles nor grayness of Palpatine as if the dark side of the force healed her body. Nyriss continues:

"We'll see, won't we."

Darth Nyriss's ghost imposes itself onto Ahsoka's body, seeping into each of her cells once again only this time her control is stronger; Ahsoka's eyes glow red as she lunges at Sidious and Dooku. The kyber crystals in her lightsabers shoot out orange and strike Dooku first. His wrist falters and sends him backward while Sidious shoots lightning at Nyriss. She deflects it onto Dooku who is still reeling from the previous strike and is unable to block the lightning, electrocuting him for a few seconds. A soft smoke lifts from his body as he tries to get up, but Nyriss force pushes him through the floor as she turns to face Sidious.

"If these are the so-called Sith you plan having serve as your successors you better rethink your pride. He's no match for any of the old members and seems entirely incompetent in even killing a Jedi."

"You have no idea who you're dealing with"

"Is that so, because from the looks of it there is a mediocre apprentice and an old master who can barely wield the force. Is there anything I'm missing?"

Sidious draws his lightsaber and strikes at Nyriss's chest as she parries and force pushes him into a wall. He sends out another wave of lightning to which Nyriss sends out more lightning - streaks of white electricity crashing into each other and exploding into brilliant rays of color. The lightning stops and leaves a haze of smoke filling the room. Nyriss pushes the smoke out through the hangar door, but Sidious has vanished. Dooku is also gone from the room below, but his ship still remains. A few red outlines flee through the opening though why they chose to help Sidious remains unclear. Ahsoka is still trapped inside her body, watching as her heart turns into a cold, calculated, unadorned shell while her mind is slowly cut off from the rest of herself. She calls on the force and sees a blue outline impose itself on her - Nyriss against an unspoken Jedi knight. Ahsoka's body shudders as they fight inside her, but this Jedi gives her the strength to temporarily subdue Nyriss and regain control of her mind. She rushes over to Lux who remains dumbfounded in a chair on the opposite side of the room and brushes her lips against his as she undoes his bindings.

"Thank goodness you're alright! Look, Ahsoka we don't have a lot of time. Come on, we have to flee. Whoever took control of you won't scare off Sidious for long."

"Lux, you don't understand, I can't go with you."

"What? Why not?"

"The Sith ghost you saw will soon control my mind forever. I've pushed her aside for now, but I can feel her presence growing. I only have a few minutes left before she takes over my body for good. You have to go Lux. I don't know what Nyriss has planned, but she's far more dangerous than Dooku and Sidious."

"Ahsoka please, at least let me take you to the Council. Maybe they can help you."

"Lux it's too late. Besides, I don't think she has any plans to attack the Jedi. Her only motive seems to be taking down Sidious and whoever helped him escape which is a good thing for the Republic. She's incredibly powerful, but she dwells too much on political gain. Maybe she can help bring Sidious down. You have to go, though, now. Once Sidious has fallen, tell the Council of everything that happened here, and they will help me. Master Yoda will know what to do then, but right now Sidious is clouding all of our vision. Taking me there will only endanger you and the Jedi, but once Sidious's stranglehold on the force is released the Jedi will be able to help me."

"Come on, Ahsoka, you're being irrational. I'm sure Master Yoda will…"

"Lux, there's no time, run!"

She force pushes him across the floor and into Dooku's abandoned ship. The droid inside starts the launch sequence, and as Lux looks back he sees two tears slip out of her soft, blue eyes as they deform into the crimson red of a Sith brooding on the lack of death.


End file.
